BELT

A fragment of a cast copper-alloy belt mount dating to the late second or early third century AD. The fitting comprises an openwork design of at least three trumpet motifs which extend from a central bar. Both this bar and the trumpet motifs are angular in form, being almost triangular in section. On the underside of the openwork plate, positioned at the terminal of one of the trumpet motifs, there extends a circular-section lug, the terminals of which appears to have been hammered flat. The strap fitting measures 31mm in length, a maximum of 24mm in width and a maximum of 4mm in thickness. The lugs measures 4mm in length and is 3mm in diameter. It weighs 4g.

The trumpet or 'trompetenmuster' motif is a common decorative feature of Roman metalwork dating to the second and third century AD. See Von Jenny, W.A. (1935) Keltische Metallarbeiten aus Heidnischer und Christlicher Zeit for a discussion of the motif. Hoss notes that there is a clear concentration of similar mounts with trumpet motifs along the Danubian limes, but that they are also found more widely at military installations from Hadrian's Wall to Morocco (Hoss 2014, 175). She also catalogues several mounts which are similar in style and execution including B.1415 from Lauriacum, Austria (Hoss 2014, 180, Taf. 54), B.1457 from Bezirk Breclav, Czech Republic, (Hoss 2014, 182 and Taf. 55) and B.1478 from a private collection (Hoss 2014, 183-4, Taf. 56).